Glycal Forte ®

NUTRITION-BASED HEALTH

Glycal Forte® is a complex of glycerol supported in a solid calcium matrix. A feed ingredient produced by a unique, patent-protected process, it helps the high-yielding dairy cow avoid metabolic disorders such as ketosis, sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA), and hypocalcaemia.

Reason 1 – Glycal Forte® contains rumen-protected glycerol

In order to act as a glucose precursor glycerol needs to bypass the rumen. This is what the protected glycerol in Glycal Forte does. Released in the abomasum it is absorbed and transported directly to the liver where it is converted into glucose. This means that the cow does not have to break down so much of her body fat to fuel her milk output; and this results in less weight loss, leaving her in a better condition to breed.

Rapid weight loss post calving can impair the immune system, which in turn can predispose the cow to elevated cell counts and mastitis. In a university trial in the UK, cows fed Glycal Forte had improved body condition scores and the Somatic Cell Count was reduced by 53% compared to controls.

Reason 2 – Correcting the damaging effect of an acidic rumen

Research by Bio-Energy Ingredients Ltd has shown that rumen pH drops dramatically after calving and, unless corrected, can stay low for some time.

Glycal Forte optimises the rumen pH, which improves protein supply and saves energy that the rumen microbes would have used in attempting to counter the low rumen pH. The energy saved by raising pH from 5.5 to 6.0 is sufficient to fuel the production of nearly 3 litres of milk.

Using intra-ruminal boluses to measure pH, Glycal Forte® was fed at 250g per cow per day and pH in these cows was compared with the results from control cows.

The grey line is very typical of what happens to the rumen pH after calving. Rumen pH continued to fall as days in milk increased. However, in cows fed Glycal Forte rumen pH lifted within a few days and pH was maintained at a level closer to the optimum for maximum rumen efficiency.

When it reaches the abomasum Glycal Forte not only releases its glycerol, but also its calcium which reacts with hydrochloric acid to form calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is a source of highly-available calcium. Fed at 250g per cow per day Glycal Forte provides the cow with around 60g of elemental calcium.